Lace was once worn as the strongest sign of wealth and distinction. Once the most valued of an individual’s possession, lace has always been as precious as it looks. The art of lace making can be taken back to as far as the Egyptian period, where flax cloth was decorated with coloured threads to add geometric designs. As well as the ancient Greeks who would twist and stitch the threads from their frayed togas, helping to create the idea of how lace would go on to be made.
So strong has the importance of lace been in fashion that Charles V declared that lace making would be taught in schools and convents within Belgium. Lace was made to replace embroidery to refresh and transform items of clothing. It could be removed from one garment and reworked onto a new one without any permanent changes. It was a unisex addition to collars and cuffs and was the epitome of fashion.
Lace has made a massive comeback in fashion and you could say it was because of a little help from a certain Kate. Kate Middleton wore an exquisite piece created by Sarah Burton for the Alexander McQueen fashion house. The beautiful piece took obvious inspiration from Grace Kelly’s awe-inspiring Helen Rose gown from her April 1952 wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. The lace theme spilled over on to the bridesmaids and maids of honour also, encapsulating lace as the vogue for weddings.
Jumping forward to modern day, the runways of Autumn/Winter 2012 have seen designers hold on to the regal texture of lace but manipulate in a way to make it anything but standard. Above we can see the work of Ashley Isham creating a fairytale feel with a hooded cape of lace; Erdem pushed forward the brights trend but overlaying dark but delicate lace over brighter bases for a real injection of colour; Alberta Ferratti kept the edging of there lace ragged for a true ethereal, almost fluid style.
The lace didn’t stop there! Dolce and Gabbana added a regal twist to their lace, accessorising with gold and diamonds; Temperley London Pre Autumn/Winter, although showcasing some beautiful lace maxi dresses, mixed timeless elegance of lace with wearability, creating separates such as this beautiful gold skirt; Valentino gave a nod to the Gothic trends of Autumn/Winter teaming their sheer midnight blue lace with a billowing cape for the perfect balance between Goth and grandeur.
Here at The Pretty Dress Company we have the newest luxe lace trends to complete your Fall look.
If you are looking for a dash of lace our Ella, Lillie and Delta styles are perfect, with just enough lace to keep you discreetly on trend. They also include a peplum style too to make sure your look is modern yet sophisticated. The Ella and Lillie are also available in Aubergine, Navy and Black to make that decision a little more tricky.
For those of you wanting to make more of an impact, our all over lace dresses such as the Windsor and the Maui (which will be back in stock very soon!) will be sure to fill that desire. For something with more of a Middleton manner, the high neck and luxurious satin waist detail of the Windsor and the choice of either Black or Champagne lace will keep the look formal but delicate. For something with a bit more vibrancy the Maui teams a lower neck line with either Red, Champagne or Black lace for a colour to suit any atmosphere.
Lace truly is one of the best timeless additions to make to your wardrobe.
